Jurors Respond Positively to Video Evidence

As technology advances so does the legal system. Although, the court system dates back centuries, new technologies allow for more evidence accuracy in cases.

Videos often have a positive effect on jurors because they leave little room for confusion and are usually straightforward evidence. Video is something that is familiar to them, it is trustworthy. Jurors are able to keep better focus and better retention of video evidence presentation than just being told.

Each video has an on screen date and time to keep in compliance with the Code of civil Procedure Section 2025.

McMahon Video offers services for video depositions, Video site inspections, conference rooms, transcript synch, day in the life videos, trial director support, audio engineering, mock trial, settlement videos, litigation support, video editing, video & audio duplication, as well as digital photography.

There are many advantages to having video in the courtroom to find out more information about McMahon Video services contact them today!

Advertisement

The Low Down Post Production in the Legal World

The video is a commonplace in today’s depositions and courtrooms. Legal video services involve much of the same process as popular movies and television shows. There is the pre-production, production, and post-production steps to ensuring the entire project are done properly. Often, it is the post production process which is the most involved.

Post production activities include everything to be completed after shooting is over. The most important activities occurring in post-production include editing of the raw footage, cutting scenes, and adding special effects. Also, part of the post production process is the voice overs and sound edits. As the final part of the video production process, post-production is where the video truly comes together and the project is finalized.

Ensuring Everyone Has a Copy of the Evidence

Disclosure is a legal term that refers to information that must be shared among prosecution and the defense. Anyone who has been formally accused of a crime is entitled to the evidence and information pertaining to the case. This material is handed over in the discovery aspect of the trial. Were any side of the court to not disclose evidence then they could be held in contempt of court, risk a mistrial, and other issues.

Whether the evidence is a photo or a video deposition, you must ensure there are multiple copies of it pass out to everyone dealing with the case. At McMahon &Associates, we not only shoot videos and photographs for court cases but will provide several copies for this purpose.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

When it comes to documenting a case, photography is the tried and true method. Photographs can capture a moment in time that runs the risk of fading away very quickly. If you need to take photos of a crime scene, damage done to property or person, photos are the best way to document these instances.

Plus they aid in making your case to a judge and jury since your words only hold so much weight. People tend to take more stock in photos than hearing a recount from the affected individual. At McMahon & Associates, we provide the digital photography services you need to make your case. For more information, visit our site.

Transcript Sync

Ensuring Everyone Understands the Audio

When it comes to video depositions, it is imperative that the judge and jury can understand the audio. Quality audio can be easy to achieve but will not aid in understanding an individual who mumbles or a low speaker.
To combat this issue, transcript sync your video deposition. By adding the transcript text to the deposition, everyone involved in the case can follow along without the need to decipher audio or looking down to the transcript.
At McMahon & Associates, we provide this service along with a myriad of others to ensure your case runs smoothly. For additional information about the services we provide, peruse our site.

Being an Audio Wizard

Knowing what to do

Certain incidents may occur that require someone to clean up the audio quality from a recording or making sure the audio is clear when recording a video. Whatever it is, here are some tips on getting it done properly.

The Set Up

You need to learn how sound travels around in the room that you are going to record. By understanding how to deal with fluttering echoes you can ensure that clear audio can be recorded.

Microphones

There are various types of microphones, that all have positives and negatives. By being able to select the correct one for the job you are dealing with is a key skill. Moreover learning where to place the microphone is just as important.

Surroundings

Always be aware of what’s going on both in the room you are recording and the area outside of it. It doesn’t make sense to record near construction; moreover, a loud TV can distract and distort what the subject is saying.
If you need audio engineering done, you can try to do it yourself; or you can contact McMahon Videos to get a couple of experts and relieve yourself of the stress.

Tips for Video Editing

Editing

No matter how good filming was, editing always have to take place after you finish. However, there are certain things you can do to help make sure that your shot are good to use.

Extra time

Whenever you start filming always shoot a couple of seconds before you start action and always leave some time after the talking or action finishes. This allows for more flexible editing.

Voice-over

When there is commentary in the film always make sure that it is taken into consideration when determining the length of the shot as well as making sure that it flows naturally with the film. If you don’t consider this you may have pieces that are too short to film.

Background

Always, always have pay attention to what is going on in the background. There may be certain distraction that takes the attention away from the subject and these needs to be removed. A helpful tip for this is paying attention to the background after taking multiple shots.
All of these help to make sure that your video comes out as professional as possible. However, if you want top of the line video editors for your deposition contact McMahon video.

When Depositions are Used

Depositions

A deposition is an out-of-court testimony of a witness for a trial. These testimonies are usually conducted out of court by the lawyers for the clients. It is commonly used in America and there are some instances when they are useful.

Admission

The first circumstance is when the plaintiff uses the deposition as an admission (most likely of guilt) by a party opponent (usually the defendant).

Absence

Video depositions are useful when an important witness may not be available to take the stand on the day of the trial. This may be because the witness may be too far away to travel or may have passed away.

Preparation

Preparing for trial is like gearing for combat; you want to pick your fights; so depositions can be used as references for picking witness that can help your case. They can also provide ammunition for cross-examining a hostile witness. Video depositions are a key component of making a winning case. Therefore, its only right to have a professional do it and so visit mcmahonvideo.com to talk to a professional videographer for your deposition.

Following the CLVS Standards for Creating Video Depositions

Abiding by the Standards

Making a video deposition isn’t as each as picking up a camera and recording a person’s testimonial. There are certain standards set forth by the Certified Legal Video Specialist (CLVS) Council.

Quality Recording

Quality recording and production is important. The videographer should work alongside the report to promote and ensure that a quality recording is produced.

Optimal Zoom

Cameras lenses have different zooming capabilities and are useful in different situations. For a video deposition, the optimal zoom ratio should be a minimum of 10:1.

Video Format

There are various video formats that exist. For video depositions, any video format is accepted. The only stipulation is there must be a simultaneous back-up recording is created.

It’s important that deposition videographers follow these standards. If you need a video deposition from trustworthy experts, contact McMahon & Associates.

A Need for Videos for Legal Purposes

For Legal Purposes

The combination of images, texts, sound and animation is highly compelling. That’s why videos have become a quite popular tool for various reasons and purposes, including legal usages.

Conference Room Recordings

In conference rooms, important business and legal matters are discussed. Videos can be created to record the session and act as evidence or reference if needed.

Depositions

Depositions are oral testimonies made by witnesses outside of the courtroom. Depositions can be made in the form of videos, and have been accepted in the courtroom.

Court Reporting

A court reporter or court stenographer transcribes or records the court proceedings. Furthermore, court reporting can be conducted with the aid of a video camera.

Contact McMahon & Associates if you need videos for any of the reasons listed above, or for any other legal reason.